8.30.2009

Summer Memories 2009

As has become my tradition, I have made a list of the wonderful things I experienced during summer as a way of preserving and enhancing the memories.

The summer of 2009 started with a return to Orust for a kayaking trip. The weather was splendid and we probably did a 20 kilometer long excursion. Next day my arms were so sore I could not even lift a pencil! A sunny Sunday my friend Ingegerd and I went to the Botanical Garden in Göteborg, not only to look at the beautiful flowers but to listen to the soundscapers at the exhibition Botanic Sounds. I was very impressed by Chris Watson and bought his record Stepping into the Dark. My friend Åsa and I went to Stora Amundön to spend a day at the sea basking in the sun. As it turned out, this was one of the few really sunny days during the whole summer.

Next I went to another island: Öland. We combined the traditional Holmberg family gathering with my cousin Lotta’s birthday party. Such good food and such wonderful, soulful music. All under a big, full moon.

After short stop in Mölnlycke to change to some new gear, it was time to join my Friskport friends at the Riksläger in Sätila. Since the Göteborg district was responsible for organizing this camp, I spent lots of time in the information booth. However I also played volleyball, did aerobics, swam in the lake, rode an Icelandic horse and even contributed to the very long jetty where a board now should have my name on it. The sunjar was a great success.

We bought a new camera for a project at work, and I brought it along to Pilane outdoor art exhibition to practice. As I suspected, using a system camera is a bit trickier and I’m still not totally comfortable with it although some of the pictures turned out alright.

I got some help from my brother-in-law when I visited my sister’s family who was camping on Getterön outside Varberg. We went to the Ötzi exhibition at Varberg Castle and were impressed by the extensive knowledge of various kinds of wood he must have had.

After spending lots of days trying to get my new apartment in order, I went to my parents’ house in Upplid. We picked blueberries and raspberries, and I enhanced my non-fear of heights by painting the barn. Back at the West coast, I went to another birthday party this time at the Onsala peninsula. My friend Birgitta were quite happy about her present: a flag pole.

In August my Mother took me to Berlin. I had never been there before and was enchanted by the contrasts in architecture and by the entrepreneurial spirit soaring. We focused on the traditional tourist sites such as the castles Charlottenburg and Sanssouci. Without any trouble, I could spend many more days in this great city. I'll be back!

The last weekend of August, I went back to Orust this time with my runner friends. We had a mini training camp, running both in the evening and in the morning around the beautiful old fishing village Hälleviksstrand. It was a perfect closing and provided lots of energy.

Thank you, friends and family, for making also the summer of 2009 very much worth remembering!